The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said officials have not yet made a decision on recommendations from the Parliamentary Registration Department about creating a permanent or continuous voters’ register for the upcoming general election.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mr Dames said officials are awaiting “further feedback on the consultative process and a decision will be made on the voters’ registration and the public (will be) duly advised.”

This comes after Parliamentary Commissioner Philip Turner said yesterday that he has proposed to the government that the Parliamentary Elections Act be amended for the upcoming election, to allow for a permanent voters’ register or continuous one.

He made similar comments to The Tribune late last month.

Speaking at the Ministry of National Security’s press conference yesterday, Mr Turner said the COVID–19 pandemic had seriously impacted the department’s operations prompting officials to have discussions on the “in-person registration process in a COVID-19 environment.”

He said key concerns brought up by officials included the health and safety risks posed to both the department’s staff members and the public. He said officials were also concerned about a reduced public participation as a result of COVID fears.

In view of this, he said yesterday: “The parliamentary commissioner is proposing to The Bahamas government that amendments be made to the Parliamentary Elections Act. This would involve replacing the five year voters’ register with a permanent or continuous one,” he added.

“This process would require maintaining the existing register, registering only new voters, transferring existing voters who have changed residence, that is, living three or more months in a new place or residence and removing the deceased and incarcerated from the current register.

“The current register, which is due to expire in July 2021, will be virtually indistinguishable from any new register prepared for the 2022 general elections, save for those persons who have died since the last election, that will be removed from the current register, and those new voters added from July 2021 up to the closing of the register for the general elections.”

According to Mr Turner, the current voter’s register presently stands at 187,616. That is roughly 130,000 in New Providence, 30,000 in Grand Bahama, and 30,000 throughout the Family Islands.

By establishing a permanent register or an extension of the current one, Mr Turner said there would be several advantages allowing for a smooth process. The amendments, he also noted, will fall in line with COVID-19 protocols.

This would include “a high level of integrity in the register based on the high percentage of persons who used a Bahamian passport as proof of their eligibility to register,” he added.

“There would be a reduced need for the Parliamentary Registration Department staff and the public to interact with each other as it is unlikely that the number of persons who changed their residence since registering would be significant; and reduce the opportunity for large public gathering during registration, thus minimising the potential for COVID-19 exposure.”

He also said officials would ensure that all protocols are being adhered to, with clear plexi-glass barriers implemented between all registrants and staff during the registration process.